Asking Garnet (A Lapidot Fanfic)
by Fukuro Rei
Summary: After Lapis returns, Peridot finds that she is ready to try fusing with the blue gem. Being a tad inexperienced, she goes to Garnet for advice on how to ask Lapis.


Garnet did sense that there was a possibility of Peridot paying her a visit that day, but she hadn't quite expected that prediction to come true.

The tall fusion did not turn when she heard Peridot's rough landing behind her, the short gem having taken the path from Rose's room to Garnet's. Then she heard Peridot clear her throat.

"Please, excuse my intrusion," she started, making Garnet turn her bespectacled gaze to the shorter gem. "Steven informed me that this shortcut was the quickest route to your chambers."

"What do you want?" Garnet quietly asked, turning her attention back to the pink bubble she'd been inspecting.

"I wished to speak with you."

That much was obvious. "About what?"

Garnet heard Peridot take a deep breath. Then, "I wish to attempt a fusion. I believe that I am ready to do so."

At that, Garnet faced her completely, a great big smile on her face. "That's great! We can start right away, if you're okay with that."

Peridot pulled back a tad, facial expression suddenly contorting from her calm one to an agitated one. "I didn't mean with _you_!" she shrilly exclaimed before her eyes widened and she pressed her lips together. "I…apologize," she continued. "Please disregard that last remark; I didn't mean anything by it, I swear."

As Peridot went on about how much of a clod she was under her breath, Garnet continued to smile. She had an understanding look about her that reassured Peridot a tiny bit. "That's fine; no harm done." A pause ensued and she then asked, "So what's all this about fusion?"

The green gem straightened, posture stiff. "If you must know, the gem I truly would like to fuse with is none other than—"

"Lapis?" There was a smile in her subtle tone.

"—Lazuli." Another pause as Peridot realized that Garnet had already known. At her disbelieving glance, the taller gem gave a shrug. "I have my ways of knowing things," she said, the dim lighting of the room catching in her glasses.

All amusement aside, though, Garnet looked down, meeting Peridot's stare. "But aren't things a little tense between the two of you since Lapis Lazuli's return?"

She wasn't wrong; that much Peridot was painfully aware of. About two weeks ago, when Peridot, Amethyst and Steven (and Pumpkin, of course) had been checking out how the crops were doing since they last paid a visit to the countryside, the barn had emerged from the clouds, Lapis flying alongside it. After carefully placing the barn back in its rightful place, the blue gem had rushed over to the group and had loosely wrapped her arms around Peridot, rushing out apologies and repeatedly saying how wrong she had been.

As the words left her at a mile a minute, Peridot simply stood there, frozen in place. She felt relief at seeing her dear friend again, sure, but there was something else she felt as well, though she wasn't quite sure what. The feeling was not as hot as anger, but it was not quite the same emptiness that sadness was.

What Peridot did understand of this feeling was that Lapis had deserted her and her sudden appearance did not quite sit well with her. Even as a homeworld technician and strategist Peridot had never taken well to the desertion of others. It had been one of the reasons she had so despised the Crystal Gems in the past—they had left the glorious Diamond authority for some measly planet and the Peridot of the past, the Peridot that thought she could only be a proper gem while wearing her limb enhancers and who blindly trusted Yellow Diamond with every once of her gem, could not fathom why.

Betrayal was simply something she never grew accustomed to, even after she herself became a Crystal Gem.

Lapis had grown silent after a while. She pulled back from the one-sided embrace to meet the other gem's gaze. Peridot's steely look bore into Lapis's uncertain one and in the distance the former was aware of Steven and Amethyst's worried remarks.

But then Peridot let the relief, the happiness that came with seeing the blue gem again, flood through her being and she beamed a toothy grin. Wrapping her arms around the other gem and finally returning Lapis' hug, she welcomed her back.

The following two weeks were, as Garnet had so eloquently put it, tense, but there was also a contentment that came with the two getting used to each other again. Peridot moved back into the barn, they continued watching Camp Pining Hearts together, and Peridot tried her best to not upset Lapis.

Now, Peridot stood before Garnet, asking about fusion.

Peridot was silent, thinking about the question before replying, her voice lower than it normally was. "Yes, things have been tense. I dislike that she left in the first place and, while I am glad that she's returned to us, I find that I'm scared that she'll depart yet again. However…" Peridot's cheeks grew a darker green. "Somewhere, deep down, I believe that if she and I can fuse—if we can get _that_ much closer… then, maybe, just maybe, Lazuli won't want to leave me—leave _us_ again." She huffed, her entire face darkening in color as she scowled. "Does that sound ridiculous? Or simple? Saying it out loud does make it seem like that."

"No, I get it." Garnet had grown sympathetic.

Peridot shook her head, all business-like again in stance and expression. "That is why I have come to speak with you," Peridot stated. "I wished to ask for your opinion on the matter as you seem to have the most experience in the area in question."

"You want my advice."

"In simpler terms, yes. What do you recommend?"

Garnet simply answered, "You should tell her how you feel about all this."

"Obviously!" Peridot exclaimed. "But how? The research I've conducted thus far suggests some grand gesture of sorts, but I'm no good with—"

"Research?" Garnet looked at her quizzically.

"I rewatched Camp Pining Hearts in my spare time, focussing on the interaction between Percy and Pierre especially."

Garnet was silent a moment before she burst out laughing. Peridot grew confused at the reaction. "What? What did I say?"

"Oh, Peridot…" Garnet crouched so that the two could be eye-level and she removed her glasses. It was the first time Peridot had ever seen her three eyes and she couldn't help the slight discomfort the sight brought; though she accepted Garnet's status as a fusion born of love, she was not yet used to some of Garnet's quirks. Even so, she was all ears as the tall gem spoke, three eyes carrying a softness. "You don't need any 'grand gestures'. All you need to do is talk to her and let her know about everything you're thinking or feeling. Even if she doesn't say yes—" That caused Peridot to panic a little internally. "—it should be a step forward in the right direction."

For a moment, they sort of just stayed like that, staring into each others' eyes. Then Garnet rose, glasses materializing out of thin air to hide half her face again, a small smile gracing her lips. "Did that help?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes," Peridot mused, thoughtful, "I suppose it did. Though I still have no clue as to what to say to Lazuli."

"Don't think about it too much. It should come naturally. Besides," the fusion added, a slight laugh lilting her words as she turned back to whatever task she was doing before, "it's not like you're asking her to stay fused forever."

Peridot laughed softly. "Right," she murmured as she turned to leave. "You're absolutely right."

She had to say, though, that the very thought made her gem tingle.


End file.
